Won't you consider registering with our site? You can unlock more features of the site, leave comments and even elect to receive our "Weekly Shoveling" - a summary of all the coolest stories added each week!
It's totally free and takes a few seconds. We don't give out your e-mail or personal information to anybody! Try it!

In the past, people picked a new year's resolution. That seems kinda passe now. The last few years, I think whether knowingly or not, the new mantra is, "Pick your enemy." What are you going to hate next year? Immigrants? The Federal Reserve Bank? Liberals? Conservatives? Russia? Congress? Blacks? China? Abortion? Muslims? Christians? Atheists? White male privilege? Obama? The Two-Party-System? Cops? Trump? The Electoral College? The UN? Guns? Hillary? Environmentalists? ISIS? Big Banks? Rape Culture? Unions? We all do it whether we realize it or not.

"Hate" is big business. Hate is the easiest emotion in the world to turn on. It's always there like a seasoned wick ready to be ignited by the slightest spark. Hate can turn even the laziest slacktivist into an online-petition-signing maniac; a Facebook-meme-posting army of one! Good luck "love" and "hope" with your teeny tiny little heart and smileyface emoticons. You're no match for hate.

So who and what's worthy of your hate in 2016?

Let's discuss..

The common enemy for the past few years has been "government" in general. Government makes a great enemy because it's so massive there are always unsavory examples of its works, no matter how atypical, that can be cited out of context to prove how useless it is. Bonus points for the head of government (in the last 8 years) also being a despised minority by more than 1/4 of the populace. Excellent job America. You've succeeded in vilifying the one entity uniquely tasked with protecting you and your resources! Hope it made you feel better!

I think as a culture, America has to have an enemy. It feels helpless without some direction in which to focus the mass of its personal dissatisfaction in a way as to avoid self-reflection. So like it or not, we need enemies.

I've always avoided simmering the hate recipe. But like it or not, it's quite palatable to the masses and unavoidable, so I'm going to suggest at least we pick a worthy adversary that is genuinely deserving of the honor: CORPORATIONS.

I think 2017 should be the year we recognize who's really turning us against each other. Who makes politicians crooked. Who commands government to do things people hate? Who poisons our air and water? Who makes us spend three hours of our time reminding them they made a mistake on our bill?

Who denies us healthcare because it's not profitable for their shareholders?

Who sells us every manner of foreign-made plastic crap we don't need, that doesn't work as advertised?

Pursuant to Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code (47 USC § 230), BSAlert is a user-contributed editorial web site and does not endorse any specific content, but merely acts as a "sounding board" for the online community. Any and all quoted material is referenced pursuant to "Fair Use" (17 U.S.C. § 107). Like any information resource, use your own judgement and seek out the facts and research and make informed choices.